# 2016–17 3. Liga

The 2016–17 3. Liga was the ninth season of the 3. Liga. Fixtures for the 2016–17 season were announced on 6 July 2016.

## Teams

A total of 20 teams contested the league, including 14 sides from the 2015–16 3. Liga. Dynamo Dresden and Erzgebirge Aue were directly promoted to the 2016–17 2. Bundesliga at the end of the 2015–16 season. Erzgebirge made an immediate return to the 2. Bundesliga after being relegated in 2014–15. Dynamo returned to the second level after two seasons in the third tier. The two promoted teams were replaced by FSV Frankfurt and Paderborn, who finished in the bottom two places of the 2015–16 2. Bundesliga table.
At the other end of the table, Stuttgart Kickers, Energie Cottbus and Stuttgart II were relegated to the 2016–17 Regionalliga. The three relegated teams were replaced by the three winners of the 2015–16 Regionalliga promotion playoffs. Jahn Regensburg from the Regionalliga Bayern, immediately returned to national level. Zwickau from the Regionalliga Nordost returned to third level after 16 years and will make their debut in 3. Liga. Sportfreunde Lotte from the Regionalliga West is playing its debut season in the 3. Liga.
A further place in the league was available via a two-legged play-off between Würzburger Kickers, third of the 3. Liga and MSV Duisburg, 16th of 2. Bundesliga. The tie ended 4–1 on aggregate for Bavarian side and Würzburger Kickers were promoted to the second level after making successively promotions and 38 years in lower leagues. Thus, Duisburg immediately returned to third level.

### Stadiums and locations

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| VfR Aalen | Aalen | Scholz-Arena | 14,500 |
| Chemnitzer FC | Chemnitz | Stadion an der Gellertstraße | 18,712 |
| MSV Duisburg | Duisburg | MSV-Arena | 31,500 |
| Rot-Weiß Erfurt | Erfurt | Steigerwaldstadion | 18,611 |
| FSV Frankfurt | Frankfurt | Frankfurter Volksbank Stadion | 12,542 |
| Hallescher FC | Halle | Erdgas Sportpark | 15,057 |
| Holstein Kiel | Kiel | Holstein-Stadion | 11,386 |
| Fortuna Köln | Cologne | Südstadion | 14,800 |
| Sportfreunde Lotte | Lotte | Sportpark am Lotter Kreuz | 7,414 |
| 1. FC Magdeburg | Magdeburg | MDCC-Arena | 27,500 |
| Mainz 05 II | Mainz | Stadion am Bruchweg | 20,300 |
| Preußen Münster | Münster | Preußenstadion | 15,050 |
| VfL Osnabrück | Osnabrück | Osnatel-Arena | 16,667 |
| SC Paderborn | Paderborn | Benteler Arena | 15,000 |
| Jahn Regensburg | Regensburg | Continental Arena | 15,224 |
| Hansa Rostock | Rostock | Ostseestadion | 29,000 |
| SG Sonnenhof Großaspach | Aspach | Mechatronik Arena | 10,000 |
| SV Wehen Wiesbaden | Wiesbaden | BRITA-Arena | 12,250 |
| Werder Bremen II | Bremen | Weserstadion Platz 11 | 5,500 |
| FSV Zwickau | Zwickau | Stadion Zwickau | 10,049 |

### Personnel and kits

| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| VfR Aalen | Peter Vollmann | Markus Schwabl | Saller | Prowin |
| Chemnitzer FC | Sven Köhler | Kevin Conrad | Adidas | Ahorn Hotels |
| MSV Duisburg | Iliya Gruev | Branimir Bajić | Uhlsport | Black Crevice |
| Rot-Weiß Erfurt | Stefan Krämer | Sebastian Tyrała | Jako | Thüringer Energie AG |
| FSV Frankfurt | Gino Lettieri | Patrick Ochs | Saller | Ayondo |
| Hallescher FC | Rico Schmitt | Klaus Gjasula | Puma | Helplus |
| Holstein Kiel | Markus Anfang | Rafael Czichos | Adidas | Famila |
| Fortuna Köln | Uwe Koschinat | Daniel Flottmann | Jako | HIT Handelsgruppe |
| Sportfreunde Lotte | Ismail Atalan | Gerrit Nauber | Puma | FRIMO Group |
| 1. FC Magdeburg | Jens Härtel | Christian Beck | Uhlsport | FAM |
| Mainz 05 II | Sandro Schwarz | Daniel Bohl | Lotto | Kömmerling |
| SC Paderborn | Steffen Baumgart | Tim Sebastian | Saller | Mediacom |
| Preußen Münster | Benno Möhlmann | Adriano Grimaldi | Nike | Tuja Zeitarbeit |
| VfL Osnabrück | Joe Enochs | Halil Savran | Adidas | Sparkasse |
| Jahn Regensburg | Heiko Herrlich | Markus Palionis | Saller | Netto |
| Hansa Rostock | Christian Brand | Michael Gardawski | Nike | kurzurlaub.de |
| SG Sonnenhof Großaspach | Oliver Zapel | Daniel Hägele | Hummel | Urbacher Mineralquellen |
| SV Wehen Wiesbaden | Rüdiger Rehm | Patrick Funk | Nike | Brita |
| Werder Bremen II | Florian Kohfeldt | Rafael Kazior | Nike | Wiesenhof |
| FSV Zwickau | Torsten Ziegner | Robert Paul | Puma | Zwickauer Energieversorgung |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| FSV Frankfurt | Falko Götz | End of contract | 30 May 2016 | Preseason | Roland Vrabec | 15 June 2016 |
| SG Sonnenhof Großaspach | Rüdiger Rehm | Signed by Arminia Bielefeld | 30 June 2016 | Preseason | Oliver Zapel | 1 July 2016 |
| Holstein Kiel | Karsten Neitzel | Sacked | 16 August 2016 | 13th | Markus Anfang | 29 August 2016 |
| Werder Bremen II | Alexander Nouri | Promoted to first team | 18 September 2016 | 14th | Florian Kohfeldt | 2 October 2016 |
| Preußen Münster | Horst Steffen | Sacked | 4 October 2016 | 19th | Benno Möhlmann | 15 October 2016 |
| SC Paderborn | René Müller | Sacked | 20 November 2016 | 17th | Stefan Emmerling | 6 December 2016 |
| Wehen Wiesbaden | Torsten Fröhling | Sacked | 6 February 2017 | 18th | Rüdiger Rehm | 13 February 2017 |
| FSV Frankfurt | Roland Vrabec | Sacked | 6 March 2017 | 17th | Gino Lettieri | 7 March 2017 |
| SC Paderborn | Stefan Emmerling | Sacked | 16 April 2017 | 18th | Steffen Baumgart | 16 April 2017 |
| Hansa Rostock | Christian Brand | Sacked | 13 May 2017 | 14th | Uwe Ehlers | 13 May 2017 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | MSV Duisburg (C, P) | 38 | 18 | 14 | 6 | 52 | 32 | +20 | 68 | Promotion to 2. Bundesliga and qualification for DFB-Pokal |
| 2 | Holstein Kiel (P) | 38 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 59 | 25 | +34 | 67 | Promotion to 2. Bundesliga and qualification for DFB-Pokal |
| 3 | Jahn Regensburg (O, P) | 38 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 62 | 50 | +12 | 63 | Qualification for promotion play-offs and DFB-Pokal |
| 4 | 1. FC Magdeburg | 38 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 53 | 36 | +17 | 61 | Qualification for DFB-Pokal |
| 5 | FSV Zwickau | 38 | 16 | 8 | 14 | 47 | 54 | −7 | 56 | |
| 6 | VfL Osnabrück | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 46 | 43 | +3 | 54 | |
| 7 | Wehen Wiesbaden | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 45 | 42 | +3 | 53 | |
| 8 | Chemnitzer FC | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 54 | 51 | +3 | 52 | |
| 9 | Preußen Münster | 38 | 15 | 6 | 17 | 49 | 43 | +6 | 51 | |
| 10 | Sonnenhof Großaspach | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 48 | 48 | 0 | 51 | |
| 11 | VfR Aalen | 38 | 14 | 15 | 9 | 52 | 36 | +16 | 48 | |
| 12 | Sportfreunde Lotte | 38 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 46 | 47 | −1 | 48 | |
| 13 | Hallescher FC | 38 | 10 | 18 | 10 | 34 | 39 | −5 | 48 | |
| 14 | Rot-Weiß Erfurt | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 34 | 47 | −13 | 47 | |
| 15 | Hansa Rostock | 38 | 10 | 16 | 12 | 44 | 46 | −2 | 46 | |
| 16 | Fortuna Köln | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 37 | 59 | −22 | 46 | |
| 17 | Werder Bremen II | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 32 | 48 | −16 | 45 | |
| 18 | SC Paderborn | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 38 | 57 | −19 | 44 | |
| 19 | Mainz 05 II (R) | 38 | 11 | 7 | 20 | 41 | 58 | −17 | 40 | Relegation to Regionalliga |
| 20 | FSV Frankfurt (R) | 38 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 38 | 50 | −12 | 25 | Relegation to Regionalliga |
* ↑ On 10 March 2017, VfR Aalen was deducted nine points for filing in for insolvency. On 15 March 2017, Aalen objected the decision. The DFB rejected the appeal on 24 March 2017. After Aalen again appealed the decision, it was rejected once more on 11 April 2017. On 4 May 2017, the DFB rejected the next appeal from Aalen. It was again denied on 18 May 2017.
* 1 2 Reserve teams are ineligible for promotion or DFB-Pokal qualification.
* ↑ SC Paderborn were originally relegated from the 2016–17 3. Liga after finishing 18th. However, 1860 Munich, who were relegated from the 2016–17 2. Bundesliga, were unable to obtain a license for the 2017–18 3. Liga. Therefore, SC Paderborn, who submitted a 3. Liga license application, remained in the league for the 2017–18 season.
* ↑ On 24 April 2017, FSV Frankfurt was deducted nine points for filing in for insolvency. Frankfurt appealed on 27 April 2017. On 4 May 2017, the appeal was rejected from the DFB. Another appeal was turned down on 10 May 2017. Frankfurt accepted the penalty on 17 May 2017.

## Results

| Home \ Away | AAL | BR2 | CFC | DUI | ERF | FSV | SGS | HFC | KSV | FKO | SFL | FCM | MA2 | PRM | OSN | SCP | JRE | ROS | WEH | ZWI |
| VfR Aalen | — | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 |
| Werder Bremen II | 1–0 | — | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–3 |
| Chemnitzer FC | 0–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–0 |
| MSV Duisburg | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 5–1 |
| Rot-Weiß Erfurt | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | — | 1–0 | 4–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 |
| FSV Frankfurt | 2–1 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–1 | — | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 |
| Sonnenhof Großaspach | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | — | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 3–4 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 |
| Hallescher FC | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | — | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 3–2 |
| Holstein Kiel | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | — | 5–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 |
| Fortuna Köln | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | — | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Sportfreunde Lotte | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | — | 1–3 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 6–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| 1. FC Magdeburg | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 2–0 | — | 1–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Mainz 05 II | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 0–3 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–2 | 2–2 |
| Preußen Münster | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | — | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 5–1 |
| VfL Osnabrück | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | — | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| SC Paderborn | 0–0 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | — | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Jahn Regensburg | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | — | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 |
| Hansa Rostock | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | — | 1–3 | 5–0 |
| Wehen Wiesbaden | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 3–0 |
| FSV Zwickau | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 0–3 | — |

## Top goalscorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Christian Beck | 1. FC Magdeburg | 17 |
| 2 | Ronny König | FSV Zwickau | 15 |
| 3 | Lucas Röser | Sonnenhof Großaspach | 14 |
| 4 | Hamdi Dahmani | Fortuna Köln | 13 |
| 4 | Marco Grüttner | Jahn Regensburg | 13 |
| 4 | Matthias Morys | VfR Aalen | 13 |
| 4 | Manuel Schäffler | Wehen Wiesbaden | 13 |
| 8 | Anton Fink | Chemnitzer FC | 12 |
| 8 | Adriano Grimaldi | Preußen Münster | 12 |
| 8 | Kingsley Schindler | Holstein Kiel | 12 |
| 8 | Kwasi Okyere Wriedt | VfL Osnabrück | 12 |

## Number of teams by state

| Position | State | Number of teams | Teams |
| 1 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 5 | MSV Duisburg, Fortuna Köln, Sportfreunde Lotte, Preußen Münster and SC Paderborn |
| 2 | Baden-Württemberg | 2 | VfR Aalen and SG Sonnenhof Großaspach |
| 2 | Hesse | 2 | FSV Frankfurt and Wehen Wiesbaden |
| 2 | Saxony | 2 | Chemnitzer FC and FSV Zwickau |
| 2 | Saxony-Anhalt | 2 | Hallescher FC and 1. FC Magdeburg |
| 6 | Bavaria | 1 | Jahn Regensburg |
| 6 | Bremen | 1 | Werder Bremen II |
| 6 | Lower Saxony | 1 | VfL Osnabrück |
| 6 | Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | 1 | Hansa Rostock |
| 6 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 1 | Mainz 05 II |
| 6 | Schleswig-Holstein | 1 | Holstein Kiel |
| 6 | Thuringia | 1 | Rot-Weiß Erfurt |